1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hydroponic devices for plant cultivation, and more specifically, to a hydroponic plant cultivating apparatus having a rotatable modular planting column wherein each module includes an integrated fluid conduit, and the column is mounted in a vertical orientation to circulate a nutrient rich fluid for growing plants in a soil-less growth medium.
2) Description of Related Art
The prior art is replete with various types of hydroponic devices. Conventional vertical hydroponic systems generally include a lower reservoir for holding nutrient rich fluid to be feed to plants, a planting column for holding the plants, and a watering system running through the column which pumps the fluid upward to the top of the column where it is directed back down to the column interior for watering the plants. The fluid is typically recycled continuously or according to a timing mechanism that controls the pumping action.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,027 is an example of such a conventional vertical hydroponic system. It discloses a flexible tubular element of a woven material constructed in a vertical arrangement for holding plants. The tube includes a pair of perforated plates at the top and bottom of the tube for holding a growth medium in the tube while allowing water to pass through the plates. A series of planting holes are formed in the tube for receiving the plant roots. A pump assembly directs water from a fluid reservoir at the bottom upward through a continuous conduit inserted down the middle of the tube. Water trickles over the upper perforated plate and down into the tube. While inexpensive and easy to make, the tube of woven material cannot maintain the internal temperature of the growth medium, and the entire apparatus must be hung to prevent the tube from collapsing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,676 is another example that discloses a vertical planter apparatus having a hollow modular column mounted vertically on a fluid reservoir. The column is produced by stacking column modules together and filling the hollow interior with a planting medium. A plurality of planting ports are formed in the wall of the column, along with a plurality of aeration ports. A water distribution system is provided for delivering fluid to the planting medium and includes an upper reservoir mounted atop a central conduit that runs down through the entire length of each column module to a pump in the lower reservoir. The water is directed through offshoots of the conduit into the growth medium of the column. In this case, there is no ability to rotate the column on top of the lower reservoir without disturbing the growth medium and watering system, which might damage the system or the plants. Additionally, there is no ability to remove the modular column sections once planted without completely disassembling the apparatus and replanting everything.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,594 discloses another example of a vertical gardening system that includes a vertical column filled with a growth medium mounted atop a fluid reservoir. The column includes a plurality of planting and aeration holes. An irrigation conduit runs upward through the column and includes a nozzle disposed at the top of the conduit for dispensing water into the growth medium. Again, there is no ability to rotate the column on top of the lower reservoir, and no ability to remove sections of the planting column once planted.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hydroponic plant cultivating apparatus with a modular vertical planting column in which a section of the column can be exchanged without disturbing the remainder of the column or components of the watering system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hydroponic plant cultivating apparatus in which the planting column may be easily rotated.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hydroponic plant cultivating apparatus which is inexpensive to manufacture, easy to assemble and simple to use.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hydroponic plant cultivating apparatus that is self-contained and capable of extended unattended operation.